Star Wars 1. Chapter 1 (Prologue & Courscant)

**AN: YAAAAY! We're finally here! While I admit that I intended to have this up in November of last year that didn't happen. It will be a few chapters long (I don't know how long as this is not how I intended it) and as such it may cause some changes to be made to _Corruption Must Fall_ as new characters and other elements are introduced to the story, things which I had previously not thought of. I apologize for the inconvenience. **

**Disclaimer: If I owned Star Wars you probably wouldn't even get this, because I'd be working on Episode VII, but I'm not, so here you go!**

**Don't thank me, thank my wonderful beta readers, and yourselves. That's the only reason we're here. And feel free to shoot me a message complaining about updates!  
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For Corruption to Fall

There Must First Be Corruption

*1 week after Palpatine was killed by the Jedi sent to arrest him*

*The Jedi Council Chambers, Coruscant*

"The council has decided that, as Senator Amidala has passed on, you will be allowed to stay in the order as long as your children are raised by, and learn to accept, the Jedi Code," Mace Windu told Anakin as he stood in front of the Council.

Anakin nodded. "Master Yoda..?" he asked, seeing Yoda's solemn expression.

"Cause great divide with in the Order, your daughter will. Torn she will be. A choice she will make. Decide the Galaxy's fate, this choice will. On her shoulders, everything rests," Yoda said.

"Will you not guide her, Master?" Obi-wan asked.

"Around to help her, I will not be."

"But, Master, you must be."

"Her choices, they will be. Now, tired I am."

*15 years later*

*The Jedi Temple, Coruscant*

"If you hate me so much, why did you choose me to be your apprentice? Why not leave me for someone else. Or maybe to not be chosen at all? Why try and train me?"

"Because Master Yoda spoke of your destiny, and I thought I might be able to help guide you," Mace Windu replied, trying to keep his voice steady.

"_You_ thought you could guide me? When everyone spoke of how I never listened? How I resisted their teachings? You're ridiculous," Leia said, turning away from him.

"I was thinking of handing you off to another Master," Windu said in a measured tone.

"Because I'm more trouble than you think I'm worth and, despite what Master Yoda said, you don't think that I'll make any galaxy changing decisions. So the history books will right the prophecy off as the ramblings of a dying being and I'll be known as the only failure of the _Great Master Windu_," contempt filled her voice.

"I could have you removed from the Order," he threatened.

"Go ahead! I don't care! I don't want this! I never asked for this!" She turned and stormed from the room as Mace made his decision. He had thought he could train her and give her the guidance she would need for the decision Yoda had foretold, but now he was sure that it couldn't be done.

*5 years later*

*The Jedi Temple, Coruscant*

The Skywalker twins had finally been knighted and no one was happier than Anakin Skywalker, except for, maybe, Obi-Wan Kenobi. While Leia had begun her training with Mace Windu and Luke with Obi-Wan, a training session gone wrong and Mace Windu's withdrawal from training Leia had made the two, along with a few other Masters shuffle things around so that Leia would still have a Master. Obi-Wan had taken Leia on, while Anakin had taken on the girl Myria had been training and Myria had trained Luke. The three had been good friends for quite a long time and had been excited about the change as they often got to train together.

Despite all this Obi-Wan and Anakin both knew something was up with Leia. She still laughed and joked with the few friends she had but she seemed much more adamant and assertive in her belief that the Jedi were wrong on more than a few points. Some saw it as trying to discourage younger Jedi but Anakin saw it for what it really was; a belief, cemented by something she had seen, most likely on some of her solo missions before being knighted.

"Father?" He turned to see his only daughter standing beside him, watching him with what he knew was a very critical eye, examining, looking for any change or shift in his demeanor that would give her a clue to what he was thinking.

"Yes?"

"I," she hesitated "I'm going to Corellia for a while."

"I didn't hear anything about the Council assigning you there," he said, racking his brain for a reason for her to travel there.

"They didn't. I have…personal reasons for going," Leia seemed nervous.

"Ahh. Care to share with your dear old father?" Anakin asked with a smile.

"I'd love to but I leave in just a few minutes and at this rate I barely have enough time to get to the spaceport. Sorry Dad. I just wanted to say I love you!" She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before turning and running for the spaceport.

"Please be careful, Leia," he said to no one with a sad smile and a shake of his head before turning to walk down the hall.

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**Thoughts?**


	2. Chapter 2 (Courscant & Corellia)

**AN: So...this has been up on A03 for at least a week. I am very sorry. I tried to post here and couldn't. Just go with the stuff about the prophecy I've been trying to remember its wording for months. **

**Disclaimer: this is being disclaimed. **

**Enjoy!**

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*3 weeks later*

*Coronet, Corellia*

Leia had not yet discovered a way to describe Corellia, though Han had told her diverse worked just fine. She wasn't sure she agreed but until she had a better one she said nothing. For now it was nice to just be a woman and have no one know she was a Jedi, no one to ask her for help.

"I don't think I want to go back," Leia said, tipping her head back to look at the sky as they walked.

Han laughed, swinging their clasped hands back and forth as they moved through the crowds.

"No one ever said that's where you have to spend your life, sweetheart. If you don't go back they can't do anything to you. They don't control you."

She took a deep breath, they had discussed this more times than she could count and she really didn't want to get into a fight with him today. This was supposed to be their celebration of her freedom from Obi-Wan and his insistence on knowing where she was all the time. "I know, I know. I just feel like, if I give it up, I'll let my father down. I know this wasn't what he wanted for us but he's devoted his life to making sure we succeed at it all the same."

"Ok, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He stopped, looking around before pulling her off, down a side street before she could protest. "Come on, I'll make it up to you; I've got an idea." He took off, pulling her along behind him.

"Where are you taking me?" She laughed, as they ran, shocked as they emerged into the crowded street and began to weave their way through. "_Han!_"

"There's a little place around here… somewhere. Just trust me, you'll love it. I promise."

They found themselves in a tiny little restaurant, cramped in between two taller buildings, but if the size was surprising than the smell of the food was even more so.

Alderaanian.

"Han..?" she asked.

"I told you you'd love it. Come on, I know Anita, we can have the best seat in the house." Han lead her to a corner booth in the back, waving to a woman at the counter as they passed. The woman followed them to their seat, stopping to check on another table on her way. When she reached their table she looked Leia up and down before making a show of checking Han's pupils and feeling his forehead.

"Well Han Solo, you're not sick and you haven't been drinking or doing spice. So do you care to tell me why you're _here _with a _Jedi _no less? The last girl you brought here was lost and starving and when you found out she lived in Jess' neighborhood you brought her here to get something to eat and find out where she lived. But I'm sure this Jedi here ain't_ lost_."

"How did you..?" Leia began.

"There are four kinds of people in this galaxy who watch their backs so closely when entering a building. And you ain't a politician. Despite that, you look like that woman from Naboo. And then I remembered that, before she died, that Naboo woman had kids with a Jedi. That, combined with the way you walk, means you're a Jedi," the woman declared, almost accusingly.

"What are the other kinds?" Leia was intrigued by this woman's observations.

"Criminals. Bounty hunters, smugglers, that sort. And the military."

"You ruled those options out just by looking at me?" She was growing suspicious even though she sensed no danger.

"You're too obvious about it to be any sort of criminal and that rules out military training too. You dress wrong for a politician, even when not working and your stride is too long, even considering this one's height and stride compared to yours." The woman glanced at Han as though searching for some sort of confirmation. Han said nothing, just watched Leia, waiting for her reaction.

"So I'm a Jedi because of how I dress, how I walk, I'm obvious in how I survey my surroundings and because I bare a slight resemblance to a _dead politician_?" Leia was incredulous.

"You're not disagreeing with me." The woman smirked then looked to Han.

"Anita is _very _good at...deductions. She's almost never wrong. Anita, this is Leia. Leia, this is Anita. Leia is a..._friend_ of mine, Anita."

The woman's eyebrow raised but she refused to comment on Han's choice of words. Instead she said, "Han doesn't take women _anywhere _so you must be _very_ special." She smirked. "Do you kids know what you want?"

Han ordered several things for them before Anita gave a small smile and headed towards the kitchen.

Leia was shocked by the woman's abrupt change from scrutinizing to warm and business like.

Han smiled at her. "You'll get used to it. We all do eventually."

"What did you order for us?" She asked, abruptly changing the subject.

"The house speciality. Don't worry, you'll love it. How'd you come to like Alderaanian so much anyway? I mean, you didn't grow up there, at least as far as you've told me you haven't," he looked around. "You're not hiding something from me are you?" he teased.

"No. I couldn't if I tried. You're more perceptive than my _brother_ and he's Force sensitive," they laughed together for a moment, dangerously close to the topic of their earlier disagreement, but both were distracted from saying anything by the arrival of their food and Anita's "enjoy!"

Leia's eyes widened at the meal laid before them and looked to Han who threw her a crooked smirk and spread his hands, inviting her to take first pick.

*The Jedi Temple, Coruscant*

"You don't know where she went? You're absolutely sure?" Mace Windu inquired yet again.

"She didn't tell me. Just that she had personal business to take care of," Anakin was trying to keep his calm but he was, quite frankly, fed up with Windu.

"She's barely become a Knight and she's already violating the code she swore to uphold!"

"She's dedicated, she just needs a bit of a break. She'll be back. I know she will," He would defend his daughter no matter what.

"She's just like you were, Skywalker. Reckless and stupid!"

"I can't imagine what Anakin's done to make you call him that now that he's grown, Master Windu." Obi-Wan approached with an amused look on his face.

Windu frowned, "we'll speak on the subject later, Skywalker." He swept off down the hall.

At Obi-Wan's look Anakin explained. "He wants to know where Leia went."

Obi-wan laughed. "He'll never find what doesn't want to be found. Don't worry, her secret is safe with me."

"I just wish she had the sense to stay away. He wants to control her because of what Yoda said, she'll never escape him as long as he can find a connection to her."

"She's very bright, I'm sure she can tell what he's trying to do to her," Obi-wan said as he gently turned Anakin down a different hall.

"I can only hope."


End file.

Star Wars, Angst, Romance